Improvement in ore-amalgamators



I. M PHELPS. Gre Amalgamator.

Patented Feb. 12-, 1878.

NPHERS, FHOTO-LITHOGRAFHER WASHiNGTON, D. C-

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

IRA M. PHELPS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENN SYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF A PART OF HIS RIGHT TO THEODORE L. CHASE AND H. J. FILLIVIAN, OF SAME PLACE, AND D. K. ALLEN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEM ENT IN ORE-AMALGAM-ATO RS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 200,335, dated February 12, 1878 application filed November 8, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IRA M. PHELPS, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Amalgamating Apparatus, of which the following is a specification The object of my invention is to effect the thorough amalgamation of gold or silver bearing ores-an object which I attain in the following manner, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure l is a vertical section of my improved amalgamating apparatus; and Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5, views of parts of the apparatus drawn to an enlarged scale.

A is the main flue or chamber of a furnace, of which B is the fire-place, and D the chimney.

Through the furnace extends a retort, E, which projects at each end from the furnacewall, and is provided with a screw-conveyer, F, driven by any suitable system of gearing.

The receiving end of the retort is provided with a hopper, a, and the discharge end is surrounded by a casing inclosing an annular chamber, 12, which communicates with a discharge-opening, d, and also with the interior of the retort, through a large opening, 6, at the top of the same, and a small opening, 6, at the bottom. (See Fig. 4..)

Within the interior of the retort E, at a point directly over the furnace, or at any other 7 suitable point in its length, communicates the lower end of a pipe, f, Fig. 5, which is connected at the upper end to one end of a box or tube, G, the opposite. end of which is supported by a spring, g, while the end to which the pipe f is connected is provided with trunnions adapted to hearings on a suitable framework. (See Figs. 2 and 3.)

The plpe f is provided with a throttle-valve, to the stem of which is connected a toothed segment, h, the latter gearing into a pinion, m, on the shaft of a pointer, n, the outer end of which traverses a graduated segment, p.

Another graduated segment, q, is arranged adjacent to the pendent end of the pivoted box G, this segment being traversed by the end of the long arm of a bell-crank lever, r, a

end of the box G, and serving, also, as a means whereby'the 'supporting spring g is connected :to said box.

Immediately below the discharge end of the retort E is arranged the upper end of an inclined air-tight box, J, a pipe, t, furnishing a supply of water to the interior of this box, for a purpose hereinafter explained.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: A fire is built in the fire-place B, and the box or tube G is filled with mercury to the level shown in Fig. 2, so that it shall be slightly higher than the level of the discharge-opening, the tension of the spring 91 being such that it will exactly counterbalance the weight which it has to sustain, and thus retain the box in this position. Desulphurized ore, in the condition of a fine powder, is fed into the receiving end of the retort from the hopper a, and is carried along by the screw-conveyer F until it reaches the opposite end. A portion of the powdered ore will escape through the opening 2',- but the size of this opening is so smallcom pared with that of the receiving-opening that the retort will soon become entirely filled with ore, and the discharge through the opening at the top will commence. The valve in the pipe f, which had heretofore been closed, is now opened to the desired extent, the pointer 42 and graduated segment p affording a means whereby the extent of opening, and consequently the rate of flow of the mercury, may

be very accurately determined. Mercury descending the pipe f is vaporized and enters the retort E, where it is brought into intimate contact with the heated ore, and is carried along with said ore toward the discharge end of the retort. During this passage the vaporized mercury is brought into intimate contact with every portion of the powdered ore, so that the thorough amalgamation of the gold or silver in the latter is insured.

The amalgamated ore, together with the vapor of mercury which has not been taken up by the same, passes through the openings 0' and a, and through the annular passage b and discharge-opening d into the box J, where the water serves to thoroughly con dense the vap or. before the point of final discharge is reached; As the mercury gradually passes from the pivoted box Gr, the weight in the pendent end of the same decreases, so that the tension of the spring 9 causes the elevation of said pendent end toan extent directly commensurate with said decrease of. weight, the mercury in. the

' the retort is stopped in any other manner, the

movement of the box G will be arrested, and thiswill be at once indicated to the attendant whose duty it is to examine the graduated segment q.

Owing to the fact that the maindischarge from the retort Eiis at the top, said retort is kept constantly filled with powdered ore, so that the passage of the mercury vapor back toward the receiving end of the retort and'its escape from the hopper are eflectually prevented.

The use of the small opening c'is to permit the discharge of the entire-contentsof theretortwhen it is desired to stoptheoperatiom I claim as my invention 1. The combination, in an amalgamating apparatus, of the following elements, namely: a retort arranged within. a furnace and having a screw-conveyor, apipe for supplying mer- Icury to said. retort, a pivoted box or tube containing the mercury supply, and ad'evice,sub-

stantially as described, for automatically tiltin g said box or tube, so as to constantly maintain the contents of the same at a certain level.

2. The combination of the furnace and the mercury-supply pipe f with a horizontal retort,

E, providedwith-a feed-screw, F, and having themain discharge-opening on the upper side,

as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination of the retort E, having a discharge-opening, e, onthe upperside, witha casing surrounding the discharge end of the retort, forming the annular passage b.and-dis-' charge-openingd.

In testimony whereof I have signedhny name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

IRA M PHELPS.

Witnesses: RIGHARDL. GARDIN'ER, HARRY SMITH. 

